AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY

SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY

[Adrian is mentioned as the first one who, in this century,
declared himself, not so much in words as in deed, against
infant baptism; as to the manner, however, in which the
Romanists proceeded against him, shall be more fully spoken of
elsewhere.

The Bracerensian papists, to prevent the decline of infant
baptism, confirm it in a certain council.

The pious adhere to the true ordinance of the baptism of
Christ, notwithstanding the power of the pope and the decree of
the afore-mentioned council.

In the meantime there were baptized (that is, in adult age),
Anastasius, the Persian; Theodorus or Theodus; many hundred
Jews; some in Upper and Lower Saxony; some in England.

Probation or examination in the faith, was at his time
practiced by the orthodox, as did, among other's, Amandus,
Birinus, another teacher.

Those of the Jewish nation now became members of the
Christian church; some of whom, after confessing the faith,
asked for baptism.

How Zeno of Verona was wont to address the candidates;
explanation of his address.

The example of the Egyptian divines, who preached the
doctrine of faith, before baptism, to the candidates, is
followed by others at this time.

The time for baptism, which was fixed on Easter and
Whitsuntide, is ordained to everyday, on account of infant
baptism. The pope also decrees that during the mass the kiss of
peace be offered to the people, in order that the mass, which,
it appears, was esteemed but little by many, might be regarded
the more highly.

The believers were not turned away from their faith, by said
papal decree; nay, it appears that even some of the Roman
church declared themselves against the papal superstitions; as,
1. Isidorus, 2. Cesarius, 3. Adelheymius, 4.
Agatho, 5. Julian Pomorius. In the meantime, mention is
also made of Isidorus of Spain, and what he has written on
baptism, namely of the applicants for baptism, and fellow
prayers.

The Christian parents, Lutgerus and Libuga, left their son
Lutgerus unbaptized, till he, having accepted the faith in
France, was baptized thereupon.

Finally, the difference between those of the Roman church
and those who administered baptism upon faith.

Conclusion of the account for this century

Notwithstanding in this century the seat of antichrist was
exalted to its highest altitude, inasmuch as the Emperor
Phocas, A. D. 606, conferred upon the Roman Bishop the title of
Papa, that is, pope or supreme father, which name was first
assumed by Boniface III, writing, in the decrees emitted by him
to enjoin obedience, "We will, we ordain, we decree, we command,
etc.; thus I will, thus I ordain, thus I decree, thus I
command;" whereby many superstitions and human inventions were
presented to the people as the Word of God; such as image
worship, salutation of the sacrament, observance of infant
baptism as necessary to salvation, etc.; yet many pious people
not only refused to obey all these things which the pope
prescribed, but some even flatly opposed it, daring to censure,
reject, and contume, some in this and some in that respect, the
papal and Roman superstitions, as among other points, was done
with regard to infant baptism and all that pertains to it, with
which not only some of the common people, but also some eminent
and learned men were dissatisfied, so that they abandoned it
altogether, yea, indicated by words and actions, that they were
opposed to it; which became manifest even in Rome, as will be
shown in the proper place.*

* A.D. 605.-At this time, Gregory the Great
wrote, "If a bishop, whoever he be, is called a general bishop
(that is, pope), the whole church decays." In Regist., lib. 8,
cap. 188. Again: ' I candidly say that any one who calls
himself a general bishop, orPage 214

A. D. 606.-In this very year, in which the pope was
accepted, by Phocas, as the head of the general Latin church,
the celebrated teacher and Bishop Adrian publicly opposed
infant baptism, wishing neither to baptize the children
himself, nor to have them baptized, but utterly refusing them
baptism; on account of which he was accused by Gregory the
Great, Bishop of Rome, to John, Bishop of Larissa, as appears
from a certain letter sent by Gregory to John, in which, among
other things, the following is contained, "The second article of
the accusation against Bishop Adrian is this: that he refused
baptism to infants, thus letting them die." Centur. Magd.,
Cent. 9, cap. 4, page 141, according to the account in Bapt.
Hist., page 496, and H. Mont. Nietigh., page 80.

It appears, indeed, that this said Adrian was criminally
punished for his views against infant baptism, and because he
let the infants die unbaptized, as is stated by the ancients,
and shall appear more fully in our account of the martyrs.*

A. D. 610.-Infant baptism, it appears, being at this
time, held in very little esteem by many, whether in
consequence of the teaching of the above mentioned Adrian, or
for some other reason, so that it was considered useless and
not necessary to salvation, those of the Roman church publicly
opposed this sentiment, in order either to eradicate it, or, at
least, to excommunicate it by the anathema of the pope;
wherefore, A. D. 610, in the second Bracerensian Council, among
other articles, it was established, decreed, and
published, "That infants must be baptized, as necessary to their
salvation." Seb. Franck, Chron., Rom., Kett., fol. 74, cot. 2.
P. .l. Twisck, Chron., 7th book page 213, cot. 2.

But how the true Christians, who rightly observed Christ's
ordinance of baptism, conducted themselves with reference to
this matter, and whether they suffered any persecution on
account of it, is not clearly expressed, but, if necessary,
shall be explained more fully in its proper place.

About A. D. 620.-Although, through the authority of
the Roman Pope, who had been chosen the supreme head of the
church, and through the decree of said Bracerensian council,
infant baptism was now so firmly established, that no one who
wished to remain a member of the Roman church, dared utter a
word against it; yet, among those who loved Christ more than
the pope, and esteemed the Gospel more highly than the decrees
of popes and councils, the true faith and the true ordinances
of Christ, especially the article of baptism, were nevertheless
maintained aright; concerning which very much might be stated,
had not the books and writings of the pious been so lamentably
and tyrannously destroyed by those of the Roman church.

desires to be called such, is, in his exaltation, the
forerunner of antichrist." Lib. 4, Epist. 30, Sam. Velt.,
Geslacht Register, page 125.

A.D. 608.-Theophilactus taught at this time, that everyone
must and may read the holy Scriptures, if he would rightly
instruct his children in the words of the I,prd, On $ph, 6,
Sam. Velt., page 152, However, we are in possession of as much
testimony from authentic writers, as is necessary to establish
said matter.

As regards this, that baptism was at that time administered
to adult persons, by those who were opposed to the decree of
the Roman church in the matter of infant baptism, appears from
three circumstances: 1. from the time of baptizing; 2. from the
place of baptizing; 3. from the persons baptized.

As to the time of baptizing, Easter was expressly specified
in the Anti-idiorensian council, where it was established, in
opposition to those who baptized new-born infants everyday:
That no one should be baptized at any other time than Easter,
except in case of imminent death. In Decr. Antis.; until which
time instruction in the faith was usually given to the
candidates, as is sufficiently shown above.

As regards the place of baptizing, it was not in a font or
basin, but in the wilderness, here and there at the rivers,
whither, as every one can easily judge, new-born infants cannot
go; neither can they observe the manner then customary at
baptism, namely, to kneel during baptism, and go in or under
the water; of which there were many instances at this time in
warm countries. Among others, Bede (lib. 2, cap. 16),
writes, "That Paulianus baptized many persons at noon, close by
the city of Trovulsinga, in the river Trehenda."

This manner of baptizing, by the ancients called immersion
or submersion, has long been observed, even up to the present
time, especially by the eastern and southern nations, who
understood the Greek word bdptisma (baptism), or baptizo (to
baptize), to signify a total immersion or submersion in water;
however, it is found that, according to the idiom of the Greek
language, said words do not only signify an immersion or
submersion in, but also a washing or sprinkling with, water.
For instance, baptisma, ba¢tismos, is translated
sprinkling, washing, dipping, etc. See Dictionar.
Tetraglott., in quo voces Latine omnes cum Graca, Gallica and
Belgiccu interpretatione. Amsterodami ex Typographic
Ravesteniana, A. D. 1634.

However, we leave the above mode of baptism to its own
merits; it sufl°irces us to have shown that it could not be
administered to infants, and that those who were baptized after
this manner, must have been adult and intelligent persons.

As to the third point, namely, what persons were then
baptized, has been made sufficiently clear from the two
preceding circumstances of time and place; but over and above
this, we will mention some persons. At this time there was
baptized at Jerusalem, Anastasius the Persian; at
Constantinople, the celebrated Persian woman, Caesarea, with
her husband and many of her followers were baptized; in
Bavaria, Theodorus, also called Theodo or Theodus, with much
people received baptism; in Spain, many hundreds of Jews were
baptized upon faith, the number of which are reckoned by some
writers

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to have been several thousands, which number, however, in
order not to overstep the bounds of truth, we have not dared to
give or,follow; the same, occurred in Upper and Lower Saxony,
in England, and other countries, where at this time, it is
stated, countless numbers attained to the faith, and were
baptized upon it. This is stated in Bapt. HisE., page
491, from John Magnus, Paul Diaconus, Bede, Hist.
Gath, etc., which should be compared together.

About A. D. 632.-At this time, probation and
examination in the faith were practiced by the orthodox
teachers. Those who presented themselves for baptism, whether
of Jewish, heathen, or Christian parentage, were first proved
and . examined in the faith, which examination generally took
place six or seven times in the week before Easter or
Whitsuntide; to the end, that the candidates, having made a
good confession, and having been confirmed in the faith, might
be baptized at the approaching holiday. This custom is noticed
by many writers; we will, however, present only this brief
extract from Bapt. Hist., page 492: "The Bishop or
teacher Amandus made the son of Dagobert a catechumen, before
he baptized him." Regina, lib. 1. In Lower Saxony,
Birinus observed it as a rule not to baptize people before he
had catechized, that is, instructed, them. Bede, lib. 4,
cap. 16. Another teacher, according to Metaphrastes,
instructed a certain Jewish virgin, before he baptized her.
Vincent states of Arnulph, that he baptized (that is, after
previous instruction), a sick person, who shortly afterwards
got well. Lib. 23, carp. 76, by which we would not
indicate that baptism possesses any virtue to heal the body;
but that it is administered to intelligent persons; and that
upon faith, according to the ordinance of the Lord, Mark 16:15,
16.

About A. D. 646.-As the doctrine of faith in Jesus
Christ was now greatly spreading, and the believers increased
in many places, so that the church, which at times, on account
of persecution, had been wont to. hide in dens,and caverns,
began to arise here and there, as herbs spring up from the
earth in spring-time, her growth was seen to proceed not only
four those who, born of Christian parents, accepted the faith,
nor only from heathen who became converted to the faith, but
principally from the Jews, who had previously been very bitter
against the Christians, but who now came in multidudes, as
occurred not long since, to be baptized in the name of Christ,
upon faith; an example of which is given by Gregory of Turon
(lib. 5" Chron. Franc., cap. 11). Some Jews who desired
baptism, said with one accord to the teacher, "We believe that
Jesus is the Son of the living God, promised unto us for a
Prophet and Messiah; therefore we pray to be washed by baptism,
that we may not abide in our sins." The teacher rejoiced at
this confession, and, in the night before Whitsuntide, when it
was customary to watch and to pray, he went to the place of
baptism, situated without the city walls; where the whole
multitude fell down before him and prayed to be baptized.
Bapt. Hist., page 499.

About A. D. 658.-D. Joseph Vicecomes quotes from Zeno
of -Verona, a certain address which the latter was accustomed
to direct to the candidates, saying, when they were about to be
baptized, "Rejoice (beloved friends); it is true, in baptism you
are divested of your clothes, but adorned in the heavenly robe,
you shall soon ascend again, white as snow; whosoever will not
defile it, shall, inherit the kingdom of heaven." Bapt.
Hist., page 501, from Vicecom., lib. 4, cap. 10,
from Zeno's second homily on baptism.

All these are certainly expressions that relate to
intelligent persons, and not in the least applicable to
infants; for, when, in the first place, it is, said
here, "Rejoice," this is the opposite of sorrIow, which sorrow
the candidates previously were wont to feel on account of their
manifold sins, over which they wept and mourned; but now, being
washed in baptism, through faith and the blood of Christ, they
had reason to rejoice, even as the jailer, who, having been
baptized, rejoiced with all his house, Acts 16; and as the
Ethiopian, who, after baptism, went on his way rejoicing, Acts
8:39.

The putting off of the bodily clothes before baptism;and the
putting, on of the snow-white robe of righteousness in baptism,
as well as the solicitude not to defile it with sin after
baptism, referred to in the above address'to the candidates, is
no work for infants, but only for adult persons; hence, the
baptism spoken of there, is not infant baptism, but a baptism
peculiar solely to the adult and those of reasonable minds.

About A. D. 670.-At this time, the holy baptismal
ordinance of Christ was still rightly observed in Egypt;
namely, the doctrines of the faith were preached to the
candidates before baptism; yea, this practice was so highly
regarded there, that some in other countries, separating from
the Roman church in this article resolved to restore the
Christian religion according to the example of the Egyptian
Christians, hence they were styled beginners in the
Christian religion. In allusion to this, quotation of
Vicecomes (lib. 2, cap. 3), from Jacob Pamelius' book on
Tertullian, is no doubt made, saying that the beginners in
the Christian religion (that is, those who, separating from
the Roman church, established the Christian religion upon the
original apostolical foundation), adopted

the practice of catechization (that is, teaching the
doctrines of the faith), before baptism from the Egyptian
divines. Bap. Hist., page 501.

About A. D. 682.-As the believers who strictly
observed the baptismal ordinance of Jesus Christ, increased in
no small degree, as can be inferred, in many countries, yea,
even in the Roman church, so that, in regard to the time when
baptism should be administered, they had, here and there,
settled on

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a fixed time; namely, that it should take place on one of
the two feasts, Easter or Whitsuntide, and that to this end,
the catechumens should previously be notified and, in the weeks
preceding said feasts, instructed in the faith; those of the
Roman church, as may easily be judged, were not well satisfied
with this, seeing it was a means to completely set aside infant
baptism; and not only this, but to abolish entirely all other
superstitions and human inventions, which, with so great labor
and costs, by councils and otherwise, had been introduced into
the Roman church, ostensibly for the best. It was therefore-in
order to prevent this, it seemsdeemed expedient to renew and
republish the import of what had previously, A. D. 610, been
decreed in the second Bracerensian council, namely, "That infants should be baptized, as necessary to their
salvation," that is, on pain of damnation. But what was really
done in this matter, is not expressed in all its particulars;
however, it has not been passed by unnoticed, seeing Pope Leo
II, according to the Roman notation, the 82d, who then occupied
the chair, ordained: That during mass the kiss of peace should
be offered to the people, and that baptism might be
administered any day. P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 233,
col. 1, from Hist. Georg., lib. 4. Chron., S. F., fol.
19.

From this it can be seen that the pope's principal concern
was, not to lose the mass and infant baptism, both of which
were chief points upon which rested the Roman church, as the
temple of Dagon upon two pillars, which were threatened, now by
this Samson and now by another, by the arms of the Spirit and
the Word of God, yea, were in danger of being utterly pulled
out and broken. Now, what does the pope to prevent this? As
regards the mass, he ordains that during mass the kiss of peace
should be offered to the people. But how could he more
insinuatingly and affably bind the common people to the
superstition of the mass, than by offering to them the kiss of
peace? But when the lion's skin will not reach, that of the fox
is brought into requisition.

As to infant baptism, what does he ordain to preserve it?
This: that baptism might be administered any day. But someone
may think: This does not concern infant baptism; consequently
the latter is not confirmed by this decree. We answer, that the
pope certainly sought to establish it thereby; for, inasmuch as
infant baptism was weakened in no small degree by the practice
of the believers who baptized their candidates only on Easter
and Whitsuntide, as already stated, there was hardly another
remedy to maintain infant baptism, than to ordain all times and
days for baptism, for thus it could be administered to new born
infants, who are born not only on Easter and Whitsuntide, but
throughout the whole year, and who, according to his view, must
then also be baptized.

A. D. 699.-The decree of Pope Leo II, for the
confirmation of infant baptism and the mass, as mentioned for
the year 682, did not have the effect of causing the believers
who had separated from the Roman church, and maintained the
baptism upon faith, to swerve in the least from their faith and
the practice of the same; on the contrary, it appears that
still more, yea, even learned men, separated from the Roman
church in this said article and joined the little flock of
Christ, so that some of them who formerly had maintained infant
baptism, the mass, the traditions, the meritoriousness of good
works, and the seven sacraments, now taught differently, and
opposed the pope in these points. Of these, five persons are
mentioned in the Chronicles, whom P. J. Twisck, in his
seventh book, for the year 699, notes, saying, "Isidorus,
Cesarius, Adelheymius, Agatho, and Julian Pomorius taught in
opposition to the pope concerning the holy Scriptures,
justification, good works, that there are but two sacraments,
and concerning the name of the church, which was not built upon
Peter, but on Christ." Page 238, col. 4, from Joh.
Munst., fol. 121.

But pre-eminently is mentioned by other writers, Isidorus of
Spain, who, having at one time been a strenuous advocate of
infant baptism, now taught and wrote such things as could, with
reason and judgment, in no wise be applied thereto. For,
commenting on John's baptism, which even our opponents admit to
have been administered only to adult, penitent sinners, he
compares it to the baptism of his own time, saying, "I hold that
all who were baptized by John unto repentance, were patterns of
the catechumens." Bapt. Hist., page 498, from
hicecom, lib. 2, cap. 4, from Isidorus of
Spain, in lib. de Div. Oficiis.

What kind of persons these catechumens were, and how they
were instructed before baptism in the doctrine of the faith,
called the catechism, has already been sufficiently explained,
and it is not necessary to repeat it here: yet, over and above
this, we will adduce the man's own words, as I have found them
translated in Bapt. Hist., page 499."After the
catechumens," he says,"there is the second grade-the applicants
for baptism or fellow prayers, that is, those who are striving
for the doctrine of the faith, and sobriety of life, in order
to receive the grace of Christ in baptism, and, hence, are
called fellow prayers, that is, such as pray for the grace of
Christ." Lib. 2, de Div. Oficiis, cap. 21.

What took place ultimately with these applicants for
baptism, in his time, he indicates with these words, "On Palm
Sunday (that is, the Sunday before Easter), the Symbolium (that
is, the twelve articles of faith) is delivered to the
applicants for baptism, on account of the approaching glorious
Easter feast, in order that they, as striving to receive the
grace of God (that is, baptism) should first learn the faith
which we confess." Bap. Hist., page 499, from Isid.,
lib. 2, de Div. 0,f., cap. 27.

These words, compared with the preceding ones, clearly show,
what custom as regards baptism, pre-

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vailed at that time in the church of which he speaks;
namely, that the catechumens, or, at least, the novices, were
first instructed in the catechism, that is, in the doctrine of
the faith, until they were meet to be baptized; and that from
that time on, they were called applicants for baptism, and
fellow prayers, because they desired baptism and prayed for it.
This could certainly not be done by new-born infants.

As regards that which is noted elsewhere from Isidorus
(ex lib. de summo bono ), with reference to other views
on baptism which he is said to have entertained, we do not
accept it as having been written by him, and this for good
reasons, which, however, it would require too much time to
relate; unless it be said that he wrote it before he was
converted, and had obtained light on the matter; and here we
would let the matter rest.

A. D. 700.-We come now to the last year of this century, in
which we perceive that at that time not only those of Jewish or
heathen parentage, but also those born of Christian parents,
were instructed in the faith before they were admitted to
baptism; so that the Christians who sought the salvation of
their children, left them unbaptized, till they were able
themselves to confess their sins, profess the faith, and
thereupon desire baptism as a sign of the same. Among these,
the two pious Christians, Lutgerus and his wife Libuga, are not
considered of the least. It is stated of them, that they left
their son Lutgerus unbaptized, till he, having learned and
accepted the faith in Jesus Christ, in France, was baptized
thereupon, A. D. 700. P. J. Tzerisck, Chron., 7th
book, page 239, col. 1, from Grondig. Bezvijs.,
letter B.

We now leave this account of baptism in the seventh century;
in which, on the one side, the oppressed believers. practiced
the true ordinance of the baptism of Christ upon faith; while,
on the other side, the oppressing Roman church deviated the
longer the more from it, so that they not only forsook, but
also opposed the command of Christ to baptize only upon
faith.

On the other hand, infant baptism and many other
superstitions were so firmly established, that almost no one
except those who did not fear the anathema of the pope, and
death, dared oppose these things. It is truly astonishing, what
P. J. Twisck writes, and truthfully, concerning this, in his
conclusion to the seventh century, with which we will also
conclude this, "The Pope of Rome, having been declared head of
all the churches by the Emperor Phocas, gradually established
the boundaries of his power, authority and jurisdiction, not
only in. but also beyond, Italy, yea, beyond Europe, and this
with exceeding haughtiness. The pomp and greatness became
unendurable; yea, the avarice of the clergy generally was so
great that they obtained ecclesiastical offices through
presents, in order to derive temporal gain therefrom, and would
scarcely baptize an infant, unless money was given them for
it."

Herewith enough has been said regarding this matter, and we
will therefore turn to the martyrs who suffered at this time
for the truth of Christ their Saviour.